Hello... you're mad... I understand. But hey, at least this time there was less wait than for chapter 28 ;)
It seems that vacation has just slowed my creative mojo, at least when it comes to fanfiction writing. During the year I would write fanfiction chapters alongside my work writing my second feature-length screenplay and I feel it was during that time I did my best work. Now that the script is finished, the fanfiction writing seems to have taken a hit somehow.
So anyway, don't know if Chapter 30 will come out before the uni year start again. I'm curious to try other writing projects, so I think I'll take a break from the fanfic for a while and hopefully come back with new mojo and proper creative energy.
Man, that was a bit of a downer... but don't worry, this chapter is now officially the longest one I've ever written at nearly 10,000 words! So... you know... make of that what you wish. I just couldn't leave you guys without writing the final climactic duel. Hope it was worth the wait.
Alright! Review answering time:
-Guest: Yeah I see what you mean. I'm trying to experiment with the Jedi's approach towards guilt and loss, hopefully, to make it more interesting.
-RFK22: Hope you like it! May the Force be with you.
-Jeda31: Thank you soooo much for all your feedback and praise! I really hope I was able to make some stuff payoff in that chapter and in this one. Thank you for sticking with it for so long.
-Krysta Farrell: I'm really touched by the time and energy you put into writing all of your reviews. I'm very happy to see you enjoy it. I think taking a break from the fanfic for a little bit will help with the writer's block/depression, thank you for speaking about it, it really helped. I just feel I'm reaching a stage where I'm writing out of some obligation to keep posting chapters rather than a sincere passion to write good stuff. This break will do me some good and I'll come back fresh and with plenty of new ideas :) May the Force be with you!
-the8horcrux: I know what you mean ;) Even I lose track sometimes. I hope you like this one, doesn't need much to catch up on too.
-Guest: Soooo many questions ;) Read and they will all be answered...
Thank you very, very much for all your reviews. I hope this new chapter ends up being worth the wait.
Enjoy!
The first thing that hit Luke when he entered the carbonite-freezing chamber was the smell; a strong iron smell laced with a noxious chemical scent that made Luke gag. The cold air peppered his skin with goosebumps while the foggy atmosphere amplified every light source.
This space gave off a deeply oppressive feeling. Luke could not look at any part of the room without imagining Han and Leia standing there, moments away from being frozen in carbonite... And I was unable to stop them…
Luke's thoughts were interrupted when the hatch through which he had entered suddenly closed behind him; as if he needed any more indications that he had been led into a trap. The Force felt even more clouded and confused than before; Luke was unable to sense anything around him. There was only a cold wind that whistled through the room.
Looking down at his hands, Luke was taken aback by what he saw. The knuckles on his right hand were white because of how strongly he was gripping his lightsaber, while his left hand trembled ever so slightly. Now that he stopped to notice, Luke realized his entire body felt tense and dysfunctional: his shoulders were tight, his breathing was shallow, he was sweating despite the coolness of the room, nothing was right…
What is happening to me? Luke wondered in disbelief. What have I been doing? What about my training?
Luke felt oddly self-aware as he took stock of how he had acted since leaving Dagobah. Impatient, emotional, aggressive, fearful, angry… Those were all supposed to be the old him; the Luke from before Dagobah. Yet it had only taken a few hours for him to completely revert to his bad habits and undisciplined behavior?
No. I've grown beyond it, Luke chided himself. Remember my training… Concentrate… Be patient…
Luke returned his lightsaber to his belt, closed his eyes, and knelt on the cold durasteel floor. Clear your mind, and feel the Force. He started by tuning out all his other senses; no longer could he smell the noxious air or hear any unsettling noises: it was just him, and the Force.
Even if it was being clouded by someone, Luke was still able to reach the peace and serenity he had found on Dagobah; that calming warmth he had sensed in Yoda he was now able to summon here, albeit a far less powerful version of it. He allowed this pulsating heat to wash away his tenseness, worries, pains, leaving him with a feeling of clarity and most importantly: patience.
He would need both of these qualities since Luke now sensed he was no longer alone inside the carbon-freezing chamber. It was subtle, but the living Force had shifted ever so slightly; darkened ever so noticeably. He honed in on this new presence, gauging where it was and what its intentions were. For now, it only seemed to be observing him; pacing around the circumference of the room, like a predator eying its prey.
Or so he thinks, Luke thought calmly, despite the knot he could feel forming in his stomach.
If he wanted to hold his own in this fight, he needed to start by winning the battle of minds. Luke needed to strengthen his resolve and will; convince himself that he was powerful enough to win, and never doubt himself or his abilities. If he were to lose his level-headedness and strategic mind, like he had almost done against Boba Fett, his opponent would pick up on it immediately and it would be the beginning of the end.
Be patient… Concentrate… Luke recited to himself. No passion: serenity. No chaos: harmony. No death…
"The Force is with you, young Skywalker," the booming, mechanical baritone echoed across the room with ominous menace. Luke kept his eyes closed, steeling his nerves; sharpening his senses.
"Your powers have grown considerably," Vader continued as he paced around the chamber. "Your presence is stronger; more assured. Less frivolous and fickle… I see Obi-Wan and Yoda's training in you. They have taught you well, but you are not a Jedi yet."
Luke kept his breathing even; not letting himself be goaded by Vader's words. That monster knew nothing of what it took to be a Jedi; he had betrayed Obi-Wan and his teachings in service of the Dark Side; this… abomination had betrayed and murdered his father. Luke was going to teach Vader how costly it was to underestimate him.
He slowly opened his eyes and rose to his feet to face his opponent. Vader stood at the top of the stairs leading towards the exit of the freezing chamber. Luke could not make out the features of his mask as his entire body melded into a dark silhouette against the red and blue steam emanating behind him.
Luke took his time approaching Vader. It was not wise to give him the advantage of the high ground. Luke smiled, remembering one of the first lessons Obi-Wan had ever taught him. He took each step up the stairs slowly, keeping his Force presence steady and at peace. Vader's Force signature was equally enigmatic; Luke was barely able to sense it, his emotions were completely sealed away.
Finally, he came face to face with Vader; they were less than a meter apart. Luke could now make out his insect-like lenses that caught the red glow of the room, gleaming like rubies. Vader was much taller than him and stronger due to his cybernetic enhancements but Luke let all those concerns dissolve into the Force as he unclipped his lightsaber from his belt.
I am a Jedi, Luke repeated, one final time. This is for Obi-Wan… and my father.
The young man ignited his blue lightsaber, gripping it with both hands and dropping into the Form V combat stance. In turn, Vader ignited his red lightsaber, holding it firmly in one hand as he pointed it towards Luke.
Their blades crossed, inching closer and closer to each other's faces; Luke's blue blade illuminated Vader's helmet, deepening every hollow of his mask, while his crimson blade gave Luke's perspiring skin a strange, otherworldly glow.
They held this stance for several seconds, searching each other's Force presences, trying to pick up on a tell. Luke wanted to dry his palms but resisted the impulse. Vader's artificial breathing continued echoing across the room, like seconds ticking away on a clock…
The Dark Lord's Force presence seemed to ebb ever so slightly: THAT was when Luke attacked. As soon as he picked up on the irregularity, the young man brought his sword down in a sweeping arch, straight towards Vader's head. His reflexes were razor sharp. The Sith Lord easily blocked the strike with his blade, not even needing to use both hands to do it.
Luke took a cautious step back, not surprised that his strike had been blocked; it would have been too easy.
But he is fast… inhumanly fast, Luke thought, tempering his dismay. I need to find a way to overwhelm him; get him to show his true power…
Luke tightened his grip on his lightsaber, planted his feet firmly on the ground, and concentrated on the Force delivering a powerful downward swing which Vader also caught on his blade. However, instead of backing away, Luke continued pressing down on his opponent's lightsaber, using his entire body weight to lean into the strike.
Luke could feel Vader trying to push him away, but there was no way he could do it while only holding his lightsaber with one hand. Luke resisted the urge to smile when he saw the Dark Lord grip the hilt of his weapon with two hands and also plant his feet into the ground to be more stable.
They were at a standstill; both pushing as hard as they could against the other's lightsaber, with neither side giving an inch. Luke was struggling to keep his Force presence disguised, and he was frustrated to see that Vader's Force signature had still not shown any cracks.
Let's see how long that lasts.
Luke focused more intently on the living Force, drawing upon its strength and revealing his true Force presence. He felt a surge of power in his arms and legs which allowed him to suddenly push forward against Vader's blade, bringing it within couple inches of the Dark Lord's helmet.
Come on, you bastard! Show me what you're made of!
As you wish…
Before Luke could register the voice that had spoken in his head, Vader's presence morphed into something completely unthinkable; his power and menace were unlike anything Luke had ever sensed. In one quick motion, Vader pushed his blade away with such overpowering strength it sent Luke reeling several feet backward, almost sending him careening down the stairs.
Thankfully, Luke caught himself and immediately prepared to defend against a follow-up attack; but it did not come. Vader simply stood in the same place as before, lightsaber in one hand. His Force presence was no longer disguised: it pulsated with raw power.
No! My mind is giving voice to my fears, just like on Dagobah. I CAN beat him!
Luke cautiously approached Vader, almost expecting to hear him reply to his thoughts, but he did not. The Dark Lord just observed him enigmatically; Luke could sense some strange emotion coming from Vader which he could not identify.
Luke launched a quick series of slashes and jabs which were all masterfully deflected. He could not understand why Vader had not yet gone on the attack. Every time he tried to strike him, Luke felt like he was hitting against a wall. Vader's lightsaber barely budged and he pushed Luke away with such force it nearly made him fall over.
Luke blinked away the sweat that was falling over his eyes as he slowly paced around Vader, still looking for an opening. He was aware of the stairs directly behind him so he needed to find a way to break Vader's defenses if he did not wish to lose the high ground.
"You have learned much, young one," Vader said.
"You'll find I'm full of surprises," Luke snapped back.
He unleashed a quick series of slashes and jabs, but with every strike, it seemed that Vader knew exactly where Luke's blade would go. The speed at which he deflected all his attacks was unreal. Luke felt like he was fighting in slow motion; his senses could barely keep up…
Suddenly, as he attempted a stab towards Vader's gut, the Dark Lord caught the edge of his blade with his own, and in a single, deft movement twisted Luke's lightsaber out of his hand, sending it flying towards the center of the room.
Luke was now completely defenseless. He felt a sharp twinge of panic creeping into his mind but he shrugged it away. This isn't over! When Vader aimed a swing at Luke's head, he had no choice but to roll out of the way which sent him tumbling down the flight of stairs. He quickly got back on his feet and crouched down in an offensive stance just as Vader leaped off the balustrade and landed in front of Luke.
The young man felt a slight pain in his side, likely one of his ribs had gotten bruised from the fall, but he ignored the pain and let the Force wash it away. Luke could not see where his lightsaber was and could not afford to take his eyes off his opponent to find out. Vader seemed to have no interest in exploiting his advantage.
"Your destiny lies with me, Skywalker," Vader growled forebodingly, slowly pushing his opponent towards the center of the room.
Luke was getting tired of Vader's familiar and condescending tone. As if he knew anything about him or what he had endured. He kept sneaking furtive glances around him to try to locate his lightsaber, but no luck.
"My destiny is mine to decide," Luke replied sharply. "And it will never have anything to do with a monster like you."
He was taken aback when Vader's Force signature shifted, ever so briefly, to resemble something that could almost be akin to… pain. But as soon as Luke thought he had sensed it, Vader's Force presence returned to an unreadable miasma of evil and anger.
"You are mistaken, young one," Vader continued, edging Luke closer and closer towards the gaping hole that had opened up behind him. "Our paths are more intertwined than you could possibly imagine. Obi-Wan knew this to be true."
Luke resisted the urge to lurch towards Vader when he said his name; not that it would have done him much good without his lightsaber. It made his blood boil whenever anyone said anything disparaging about Obi-Wan, especially someone like Vader; how would he know anything?
Luke tried to keep his tone even when he spoke:
"No. Obi-Wan is the greatest man I've ever known. He's told me all I need to know about you!"
Luke felt a sudden surge of aggression in Vader's Force presence, which made him step back only to find there was nowhere for his foot to go. Luke felt his body tip backward; he barely had time to slow his fall before he hit a hard metal grate bellow him. He managed to avoid any injury, but quickly realized he was sitting in a very dangerous place.
"All too easy," said Vader as he pulled a lever on a control panel.
Luke felt the floor rumble under his feet. A hissing sound got louder and louder; smoke was pooling around his ankles; the chemical scent in the air became even more pungent… In that moment, his level-headedness and patience were of no use; it was only by the grace of his survival instinct that he managed to leap straight out of the hole, using the Force to propel himself into the machinery above the carbonite-freezing machine.
"Perhaps you are not as strong as the Emperor thought," Vader spoke gravely as he watched the machine flash freeze the carbonite gas, releasing an impressive burst of white steam.
Luke kept his Force signature invisible since Vader had yet to see him. He used this brief respite to search around the room for his lightsaber, and heaved a silent sigh of relief when he saw its silvery glint a couple feet away from Vader.
I need to press my advantage now. He's powerful but slow. I can overwhelm him if I'm more aggressive…
Luke let his instincts take over. He reached out through the Force to summon his lightsaber just as he dropped down from his hiding place. When his weapons reached his hand, he gracefully twisted his body in midair and used his blade to slice clean through a mass of hoses, which spewed a cloud of harsh smelling gases.
Just as Vader turned around to face Luke, the young man grabbed one of the severed hoses and pointed it straight into his face. Had Vader not been wearing a helmet, the subfreezing gas would have irreversibly scarred his eyes; instead, it only obscured his lenses, forcing him to rely on the Force to locate Luke.
But the young man did not wait for his opponent to get his bearings. He immediately assaulted Vader with a powerful two-handed swing towards his head. But Luke had been so impatient to strike he had misjudged the distance between him and Vader. His blade sliced through the front of his mask, cutting through the area where his cheek would have been and across the bridge of his nose. The cut was only a surface wound and had not managed to slice all the way to Vader's flesh, but seeing that infernal mask finally damaged, filled Luke with an intoxicating rush of power and satisfaction.
"Impressive… Most impressive," Vader praised, his voice now noticeably wheezier due to the damage on his helmet. "Obi-Wan taught you well. You have controlled your fear… Now, release your anger!"
Luke mind desperately resisted the temptation, but his body was brimming with pent-up energy from his successful strike. When the Vader moved to attack, Luke felt a strange power course through him. He blocked Vader's strike easily and followed up with a series of slashes and stabs; they carried much more weight, Luke could feel his opponent blade quivering with each hit. For the first time, he was able to push Vader back; his attacks kept getting faster, more powerful; his vision was focusing in on Vader, nothing else mattered, his strength kept growing; he was taking pleasure in seeing how effective his strikes were…
I'm winning! I can do this!
"Your rage makes you powerful. Use it," Vader goaded as he held Luke's blade in check with his own. "Only your hatred can destroy me!"
When he spoke those words, Luke felt a sharp tug at the edge of his mind; a faint warning to stop. He was aware of it, but the words were inaudible to him. His tunnel vision slowly broadened, he realized how erratic his strikes were becoming; it was a shock, as if he had not been in control of his own body. Luke quickly realized he had somehow managed to push his opponent all the way to the edge of the freezing platform. Without thinking, Luke kicked Vader in the chest, sending him falling over the edge and disappearing into the dark chasm below.
As the adrenaline slowly left his body, Luke realized how dangerously far he had strain. He was covered in sweat, his knuckles were white from clenching his lightsaber so tightly, every muscle in his body ached and he felt like someone was drilling a hole through his head.
What happened? It was like I couldn't control myself for a moment… Like someone else was behind the wheel… and I just let them be there…
Luke took a few seconds to calm his thoughts and release his emotions into the Force, but he found it did not create the same soothing effect as before. He still felt a presence looming over his shoulder, watching his every move.
Luke looked towards where Vader had fallen, contemplating his two options: leave and go rescue Chewie and 3PO, or chase after Vader and finish what he had started. He could hear R2's words of warning clearly, but the second option simply felt inevitable. Luke could not allow such a powerful foe to continue posing a threat to him and his friends, not after coming so far.
Luke deactivated his lightsaber and jumped down into the dark depths below. He landed on a durasteel grate which appeared to be an area through which the small Ugnaught workers traveled. Directly to his left, a hatch suddenly opened, leading into a narrow tunnel. Luke progressed through it cautiously, keeping one hand close to his lightsaber and maintaining full awareness of any signs of Vader's Force presence.
He eventually reached a dark room with a few control panels and monitors. Just as soon as he stepped out of the tunnel, a heavy metal door hissed shut behind him. It appeared that Vader had spun a very large web in order to capture him.
Not that it'll make any difference…
Luke proceeded cautiously through the dimly-lit room. He was drawn to a circular window that shone a pale artificial light across the floor in a spiderweb pattern. Luke was certain Han would have pointed out the irony of such a motif, but the young man forced himself to set aside any memories of his old friend; right now they would only distract him. As he peered through the window he realized it gave out onto an enormous reactor shaft, peppered with small lights and vents. Luke could actually feel the pressure wave from the outside wind since it caused the window to hiss creak ever so slightly.
Luke immediately froze when those soft hisses were dwarfed by a cavernous breathing behind him. He spun around in a flash, igniting his lightsaber as he came face to face with Vader, waiting patiently amongst the heavy shadows of the room.
When he stepped closer to Luke, he was finally able to clearly see the damage he had dealt to Vader's face. The scar was actually deeper than he had originally thought, allowing him to see a sliver of pale, gnarled flesh where his cheek was. It was strange seeing that minuscule injury; for a moment it reminded Luke that he was actually fighting a human being, no matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise.
Vader must have noticed Luke's curious gaze since he turned his body away, shrouding the injured half of his face in darkness. In another situation, Luke might have reflected on the oddity of such an action, but now, it only made his senses sharpen with anticipation.
"I sense something… different in you," Vader said cryptically. He had yet to draw his own lightsaber. "You're aware of this conflict within you, between Light and Dark, yet continue to deny that which would give you power… Obi-Wan's influence is far-reaching within you."
"Don't you dare say his name!" Luke growled, taking a decisive step towards Vader, who remained unmoving. "You betrayed him and my father! Betrayed them both for the Empire and spread terror across the galaxy. There's nothing you could say that I haven't heard before."
"We shall see," Vader whispered threateningly, his Force presence quivering with a surge of anger.
Luke ran towards his opponent, ready to strike, but instead of meeting his blade, Vader ignited his lightsaber and threw it directly at Luke. He managed to narrowly dodge the deadly projectile, giving him a perfect opening for an attack. A few feet away from Vader, Luke jumped up into the air and used the momentum of his fall to deliver a two-handed swing onto Vader's head.
At the last second, Vader used the Force to deflect the incoming blade which cut uselessly through the hem of his cape and into the ground. Before Luke could react, Vader punched him square in the face with such power it sent him flying several feet back.
Luke felt like he had been hit by a speeder. His vision was blurry, his head throbbed painfully, when he brought his hand up to his head it came back covered in blood. Luke desperately shook away the sluggishness, using the Force to clear his eyes as he struggled back to his feet. What he saw when he looked back towards Vader was like something out of a nightmare.
Vader was no longer trying to hide or control his Force presence; it was now completely unbridled and erratic. Luke had to use the Force like a lifeline to avoid seeing strange visions and apparitions around his opponent; like specters or phantoms watching over him. He used all his power and concentration to steady himself as he held one hand over the large gash on his forehead which was bleeding all over his face. Luke expected to find his lightsaber in his other hand but was startled by what he saw instead. He had summoned the weapon to his hand almost instinctively, but this was not his father's lightsaber: it was Vader's.
As Luke looked back towards his opponent, he saw the familiar blue glow of his own sword. Vader examined the blade and hilt carefully, having seemingly forgotten about Luke. The young man stared at Vader's weapon disgustedly, almost feeling ashamed to hold it; the weapon that killed his father.
"You're just a boy playing with another man's legacy," Vader growled; the specters around him flared up with his anger. "You call yourself a Jedi, yet are not worthy to carry your own lightsaber. You believe you can defeat me, yet are unwilling to call upon the power that will allow you to do it. You are weak, Skywalker, yet unable to accept it."
Luke did not have time for a reply; Vader immediately charged at him with his lightsaber. Without thinking, Luke ignited the crimson blade just in time to parry the incoming attack, but before he could counter, he felt a heavy knock to the back of his head that almost made him blackout. As he focused his senses on Vader and backed away cautiously, Luke realized he had been hit in the head by a small metal crate. As soon as he realized this, he sensed Vader preparing to send another object flying towards him. This time, however, Luke was ready and sliced it clean in half before it could hit him.
Two can play at this game, Luke thought, blinded to the rage seizing his body.
He ripped a large monitor station off the ground and sent it hurtling towards Vader who managed to blow it aside with the Force.
"Yes, you are beginning to give in," Vader's voice was like a snake's. "Let loose your anger!"
"Shut up!"
Luke used both his hands to lift boxes and control panels and sent everything flying towards Vader. While he managed to cut down or deflect most of the projectiles, Luke felt a rush of adrenaline when he saw a crate hit him in the side of the head.
Luke pressed his advantage, rushing towards Vader with a wild series of attacks which he all managed to block. The Dark Lord riposted with his own flurry of attacks which all carried so much more power and weight than before; it was hard for Luke to realize he was fighting the same person, but he refused to give an inch. The burning sensation in his gut continued to build as he punctuated his fast attacks by throwing objects towards Vader with the Force.
After a minute of trading blows, neither side had managed to land a successful hit. However, Luke was starting to feel exhaustion and wariness, while Vader's breathing remained steady and uninterrupted. The sweat was making the cut on his forehead bleed even more, dripping into his eyes and impairing his vision. It only took a split second for Vader to seize the opportunity; holding on to the edge of the wall with one hand, he used the Force to send a piece of machinery crashing into the large window behind Luke. The impact only made a small crack, but the difference in pressure caused the entire frame to be ripped out, creating a vacuum that pulled everything out into the reactor shaft. By the time Luke realized what was happening, it was too late, he was sent hurtling over the edge towards his death.
His entire body felt flimsy and weak, his mind was jumbled and unfocused; he was slowly pulling himself out of unconsciousness but almost wanted to remain asleep. The pain was all-encompassing and unrelenting; he wanted to release it, he needed to release it, but…
"Yes, Obi-Wan… Please, release your pain… My son still needs you."
Impossible… Obi-Wan desperately gathered his strength to raise his head towards this familiar voice. It can't be…
As he slowly opened his eyes, Obi-Wan saw someone he never thought he would ever see again; yet here she was. Padmé Amidala looked into his haggard gaze and smiled with such dazzling kindness and grace it made all of Obi-Wan's injuries disappear in a second. He could feel the Force around him again, for the first time in what felt like an eternity. He allowed it to course through his body, savoring it and ravishing it like a water spring in an endless desert.
Obi-Wan looked at Padmé closer with his sharpened eyes and understood why she was here. Her entire body was transparent with a slight blue tint, but unlike Rahm Kota, the outline of her form wavered and shifted uncertainly. As his gaze wandered, Obi-Wan recognized five familiar faces, or rather five familiar masks, of Serenity, Joy, Anger, Confusion, and Sadness: the Force Priestesses, those who held the secret to maintaining one's individuality after death.
The full realization of what was happening made Obi-Wan's heart heavy with dread. He tried to summon a smile from behind his ragged, beard, but Padmé could see the tears he was holding back.
"What's wrong, Obi-Wan?" she asked, her melodious words easing the old Jedi's wariness.
Obi-Wan had to resist the urge to hold her hand. He did not want to remind himself that she was not truly here and that she could not stay. Even now, the angelic contours of her face and hands were hard to make out, like she could disappear at any moment.
"I'm ashamed to have you see me like this," Obi-Wan whispered hoarsely. "I promised you I would save Anakin and protect Luke, and I've failed miserably at both. I arrogantly thought I could train Luke better than I did his father, but instead, I've only led him further astray…"
Obi-Wan voiced trailed away before falling silent. He realized how unbecoming this self-pitying was; he hated how he was crying and whining in front of the woman to whom he had sworn he would protect her husband and son.
When Obi-Wan felt Padmé's hand run against his beard, all his frustration disappeared into thin air. He could feel her soft, small hand run up the side of his jaw before coming to rest over his left temple. Obi-Wan thought he was hallucinating; her touch felt so real but there was no way it could be, he was just dreaming... The coolness of her palm was calming, the imperceptible twitches of her fingers sent shivers down Obi-Wan's spine: even if it wasn't real, he did not want to risk finding out. He simply kept his eyes closed and relished this simple, impossible contact.
"You never could help yourself from bearing all the galaxy's ills on your shoulders," Obi-Wan could hear the smile in Padmé's voice but dared not look. "You have turned the tide, Obi-Wan. You may think all his lost in darkness, but that only makes the light shine brighter. Luke will soon face a choice, the most important one he will ever make, but do not assume you did not help him. Your teachings will reach him; they always have."
Obi-Wan no longer had a reason to hold back his tears. He wanted to hug Padmé tightly and never let her go but he could not face the possibility of not being able to touch her. The tears stung his eyes but he kept them shut; he could still feel her hand, but he would not look or touch her.
"Goodbye, Obi-Wan…"
The sadness and faint tremor of fear in her voice instinctively forced Obi-Wan to open his eyes; right at that moment, he felt a soft, tender kiss touch his forehead. When Padmé pulled away from him, he saw a mesmerizing smile on her lips, framed by two single tears that streamed down her cheeks.
"I will always—"
Obi-Wan rushed to grip her hands; he wanted to, he needed to hold her just to know… Before she could finish speaking; before he could reach her; Padmé disappeared. She faded into nothingness, along with the five Priestesses.
Obi-Wan was left all alone in his cell. He did not even care where he was or what was happening around him; he just lingered in the fading elation of these few precious minutes. In the end, it did not matter if it had been real or not; the effect it had had on him was very much real.
Luke desperately tried to catch his breath as he dangled by the edge of his fingers on the edge of a narrow walkway above the bottomless reactor shaft. The intense winds swayed Luke from side to side, straining his muscles and preventing him from regaining his senses. He had not been able to brace himself correctly after being sucked through the window and had fallen straight onto the guardrail with barely enough time to cushion his fall with the Force.
Luke felt an intense throbbing on his left side; several of his ribs were most definitely broken and the pressure they created on his lugs was excruciatingly painful and prevented him from thinking straight.
I can't die like this… Not now, I have to…
With newfound determination, Luke put all his energy into his biceps to pull himself onto the walkway, but just as he did, a stabbing pain in his right arm made him let out a strangled cry and kept him from pulling himself up. There was a five-inch-long metal shard impaled in his right forearm, leaking blood onto his clothes and down his shoulder.
Luke was completely out of ideas. The winds were getting stronger and blew his legs around under him, creating even more strain on his ribs and forearm. His strength and stamina were nearly spent; he could focus just enough on the Force to keep from letting go; he felt the blood rushing out of his right hand, his fingers were getting weak, and eventually, his entire right arm just fell slack by his side, completely numb and blood-deprived.
Luke was now hanging by only one arm; he barely had three fingers gripping the walkway. He was all out of energy, Luke could barely string together a coherent thought…
No… I can't…
His left hand slowly slipped off the walkway; time seemed to slow to a crawl. As Luke's fingers lost their grip and he began to fall, he watched as his desperate, reaching hand moved further and further away from the walkway as he fell down the reactor shaft.
Dammit… I'm sorry, Obi-Wan… I—
Luke thoughts were violently interrupted when he felt someone grip his left hand, halting his descent. He looked up and saw a cloaked figure lying flat on the walkway. Luke could not make out the person's face, all he saw was the strand of red hair that dipped below her hood.
"Take my hand if you want to live."
His vision on Dagobah and Yoda's warning came rushing back into Luke's mind and he did not hesitate to deal with the pain of raising his right arm. The mysterious figure now gripped both his hands tightly.
"You need to use the Force as well. I can't lift you up by myself."
"I'll follow your word," Luke whispered as he summoned the Force to temper his pain and strengthen his limbs.
"Three… Two… One…" the figure anxiously focused on the Force, praying Vader was still far away. "Now!"
As one, they used the Force to propel Luke up and over the railing to safety. The young man lay flat on his back, panting from exhaustion but already his lucidity was returning.
When his vision was no longer a jumbled blur, Luke gingerly rose to his feet, propping himself up against the side of the giant gas-processing vane they were currently standing on. He looked towards the hooded figure who seemed to be waiting for him to finally make eye-contact. When he did, she removed her hood.
Intimidating, serious, fierce, beautiful, curious, stern, mesmerizing; all these words sprung into Luke's mind instinctively, but in the end, he remembered that day on Hoth, when he had fought to hold back the Imperial advance.
That was her…
Luke let out a short chuckle, as if understanding the mediocre punchline to a terrible joke. Strangely, Mara nodded her head with a knowing smile, like she was in on this terrible joke.
"Not who you were expecting?" she asked sarcastically.
"Rather surprised it took you so long to get here," Luke replied with a pained smirk. He winced when he laid a hand on his ribs. "But thank you for coming. Truly."
"Sure," Mara said simply before taking a closer look at Luke's injured forearm. "I'm Mara Jade by the way. I already know who you are. Here let me help you with that. Just make sure you stay quiet."
Luke watched wordlessly as Mara gripped his forearm with one hand, held the metal shard in the other, and ripped it out with one swift pull. He held back a strangled cry of pain as Mara applied pressure around the wound with both hands; a few drops of blood fell through the metal platform and disappeared into the endless void below.
As Mara pressed down on his wound, Luke felt a warmth flow through his body from the puncture point. It made him forget his injured ribs, it was like a shot of energy into his system, awakening all his senses and easing his high-strung mind.
When Mara removed her hands, there was no longer any bleeding, just a patch of fresh scar tissue.
"That won't hold up under too much stress," Mara said distractedly as she anxiously checked her surroundings. "I've freed your friends and they're doing a flyby with the ship waiting to pick us up. We need to get out of here quick."
Mara had begun to lead Luke towards the entrance to the gas-processing vane, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he heard her speak.
"I'm not going anywhere," Luke said assertively. "I need to face Vader, I have to finish what I started."
"Listen, kid," Mara tried to keep the exasperation and frustration out of her voice. "I don't know what kind of power trip you're on right now, but you don't 'face' Vader or 'finish what you started' with him. That man is an unstoppable force, all we can do is get out of the way and run like hell."
"First of all, kid, my name's Luke. Second, you didn't just duel that unstoppable force a second ago. He needs to be put down. He's strong, but I was able to overwhelm him multiple times. If we team up against him we can—"
The stinging slap echoed across the reactor shaft, leaving a bright red mark on Luke's cheek. He looked towards Mara in outrage but she just stared back with utter contempt and disgust.
"You need to snap out of it now, Luke. I've also been face to face with that monster and let me tell you, if you think you're anywhere close to being able to defeat him you're a fool who deserves to die. Our power is about equal you and I, and I wasn't even able to move when Vader decided to get serious—"
"—If we don't act now, who knows how many more will—"
"Shut up! I don't care about the rest of the galaxy! I care about you! The Force brought us together; Obi-Wan saved my life so that I could find you, he sacrificed himself for me and for you! It can't all have been for nothing… I… still need to repay him; WE still need to save him. There'll be other times to face Vader, but Obi-Wan will die if we choose to face him here."
Mara was glad to see understanding and remorse shine in Luke's eyes, but it all came crashing down when a cavernous breathing echoed from inside the corridor of the processing vane.
Vader advanced towards them, lightsaber at his belt, arms resting by his side. His Force presence was oppressive, like a physical Force crushing down on Luke and Mara. They could feel their eardrums ringing, their hands were jittering, it was like their feet were welded to the ground. Mara had to concentrate all her Force energy to will herself to back away from Vader, onto a narrow walkway behind them. Luke followed her, step by step.
"What an ending this will be," Vader mused cynically; they could see the corner of his scared lips moving through the cut in his mask. "The boy who challenged an Empire, and the girl who betrayed it. One will die, the other will rule the galaxy at my side."
Mara did not bother coming up with a snarky rebuttal; it would have been a precious waste of energy. She and Luke kept moving away from Vader down the walkway, trying not to look down.
"We have to fight," Luke muttered.
"What?" Mara had barely heard him, the ringing in her eardrums was not easy to suppress.
"We have to stand our ground and fight," Luke repeated as he stopped backing away from Vader. "There's no escape for us. The only way out…"
Luke slowly and deliberately removed his lightsaber from his belt; he pointed it towards Vader and ignited the brilliant blue blade which he was glad to see was no longer red.
"… is through him."
Mara did not have the chance to say another word before Luke charged Vader with a flurry of two-handed swings and swipes. She wanted to kick herself for what she was about to do, but deep down she knew they were simply out of options. Mara ignited her magenta lightsaber and followed behind Luke.
The young man sensed her Force presence behind him. Vader had managed to block all his strikes without even taking a step back. Emboldened by a strange mirth and glee that coursed through his body, Luke gripped the side one of the guardrail with his right hand and used the Force to swing himself over it and use the momentum to propel himself around Vader.
Mara watched in complete shock as he pulled off this completely insane and suicidal maneuver; somehow, Luke managed to keep Vader at bay with his lightsaber in his free hand and landed back onto the walkway behind Vader: they now had him boxed in between them.
The move was unfortunately too much exertion for the partly-healed scar on Luke's forearm. The wound tore open and began leaking blood again down onto his hand, but Luke simply flicked it away and tightened his grip around his lightsaber; the crimson liquid turned the brilliant silver handle into a blotched red mess. Luke did not care or did not notice.
He immediately reengaged Vader, his blows somehow gaining even more speed and power. The red and blue clash of blades created explosions of sparks as they cut through pieces of the railing on either side of them, neither one seemed to give an inch.
Mara quickly joined the fray, swinging right for Vader's unprotected back. The Sith Lord felt it coming and deftly pivoted out of the way, sending Mara's blade slicing through the floor of the walkway, dangerously close to Luke's foot.
Vader now turned his attention towards her. Seeing his towering, nightmarish form made Mara tense up with fear, but she quickly brushed it aside and met his blade with her own. Luke tried to attack Vader from behind, but the latter unleashed a powerful Force push which sent the young man flying several meters away, nearly causing him to fall off the walkway. Refocusing his attention on Mara, Vader started ramping up the pressure; the intensity of his Force presence transformed once again into a hellish and debilitating aura.
"You've gotten weak," Vader sneered. "You believe you are powerful? That the Light will set you free? It seems Obi-Wan foolishness has infected you too…"
Mara was about to reply, but suddenly, she felt something constricting around her throat, restricting her breathing. She desperately tried to push against it, to fight it off, but the grip just kept tightening around her windpipe. Vader stood uncaringly before her, his hand extended out, crushing the life out of her with his grip.
She felt herself being lifted off the ground, dangling helplessly in the air. Mara could no longer breath, the remaining oxygen in her lungs was quickly running out. Her eyes lost focus, everything darkened, blood rushed out of all of her extremities; she barely heard Vader's voice when he spoke:
"Don't look down."
Mara felt her body being dragged back through the air, over the walkway, over the gas-vane's sensor array, and suddenly, she was no longer flying over anything. As her body began to fall, Mara desperately reached out; trying to grab… but she was too far…
"NOOO!"
Vader quickly whirled around when he heard the scream, just in time to block Luke's incoming blade. The young man's Force presence was brimming with frantic anger; Vader could sense how erratic and chaotic his mind was, his eyes were wild and unnatural. The Sith Lord actually had to concentrate on the fight and use all his power to avoid getting overwhelmed by the flurry of attacks.
The boy is powerful, no doubt more than myself, Vader reflected darkly. But he is still just a boy.
While Luke's attacks were devastatingly fast and violent, they lacked any strategic or technical intent behind them; they were just strikes of rage, of anger, of hate, and Vader could match them easily.
Luke bombarded Vader with attack after attack after attack but none got past him. He was pushing him back but he could not break the Sith Lord's defense, all he was doing was burning through his stamina. In a moment of carelessness, Luke dropped his combat stance for just a second, allowing Vader to reach out with his free hand and clamp down hard onto the freshly reopened wound on Luke's forearm. The young man cried out in pain, but it only intensified the savageness of his Force presence.
Good… good… give in to these feelings… let them grant you power!
Luke shook his head, trying to ignore the sordid voice as he attacked Vader with his other hand, but the Sith Lord would not let go of him and kept his lightsaber strikes at bay.
Eventually, Vader yanked Luke towards him and threw him to the ground, placing himself between him and his way out. Luke was cornered, with Vader's lightsaber pointed in his face as he towered over him.
"You are beaten! It is useless to resist," Vader's tone betrayed a certain frustration as he stared into Luke's unrelenting glare. "Don't let yourself be destroyed as Obi-Wan did."
The name was like a jolt of electricity to Luke's system; his Force presence eased and his eyes regained focus. He batted Vader's blade away and quickly jumped back to his feet just as his opponent swung his blade where his body had been.
Luke quickly took stock of his surroundings as if he had been in trance; his entire body felt numb, his head felt like it was going to split open and the pain in his forearm and ribcage could no longer be pushed aside. Blood was seeping onto his lightsaber, making it harder for him to hold it; he was out of breath, his forehead was slick with sweat. This sudden weakness confused him at that moment, he could barely summon a thought to wonder where Mara was…
He hopelessly tried to protect himself against Vader's strikes but it did not do him any good. Every attack he blocked seemed to jar his entire body, he kept taking steps backward but he was reaching the end of the walkway; all that was left behind him was a small cluster of antennas, hanging precariously over the bottomless reactor shaft.
Finally, one of Vader's strikes proved to be too much for Luke to handle. The force of the blow sent Luke's lightsaber flying out of his hand, only to be caught in midair through the Force and returned to Vader's hand.
Luke was helpless. All he could do was back away onto the narrow metal fixture that connected the antennas to the walkway. Vader observed the blood-stained lightsaber with a strange reverence before attaching it to his belt and deactivating his crimson blade.
"There is no escape," Vader's words were slow and deliberate; the corner of his lips barely moved. "Don't make me destroy you."
Luke tried to mutter a reply but he could not summon the energy; he was completely and utterly spent. He could only continue to move away from Vader, balancing precariously on the narrow beam.
"Luke, you do not yet realize your importance," Vader's tone almost sounded like a plea; a desperate appeal to reason. "You have only begun to discover your power. Join me and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."
"I'll never join you!" Luke spat back defiantly.
As he uttered his reply, he felt a sudden surge in the Force as Mara leaped up from underneath the walkway behind Vader and struck at his exposed back. The blow sliced clean across the Sith Lord's back, from his shoulder to his hip, causing him to let out a strangled cry of pain. Unfortunately, the cut was not deep enough to be fatal; it would have paralyzed a normal man, but not Vader.
Mara's only chance for victory was gone. As Vader ignited his lightsaber and turned around to face her, she knew there was no hope; she could not defeat him. Mara tried to block or avoid his strikes but it only prolonged the inevitable; she was running out of strength, her hold on the Force was wavering. She managed to direct the fight so that she was between Luke and Vader. If it was to be her final duel, she had to make sure she protected the one who would make a difference in the end.
"Mara… don't…"
She could hear Luke whispering something behind her, but could not make out what he was saying. She wanted to say something clever, something reassuring or brave, but she had run out of all of these things.
When Vader's decisive strike came, it was like everything slowed down, as if to let her appreciate the precious final seconds. Mara could only watch as Vader twisted her lightsaber out of her hand, sending it falling into the abyss, and, without hesitation, cut straight through her wrist. Her lifeless hand fell to the ground with a sickening thud, still twitching and pulsing, like a final macabre wave.
Mara clutched the bloody stump, desperately stifling the screams of pain. She did not realize as she took a step back that she had run out of ground; she fell over the side of the walkway only to be caught by Luke who hoisted her up beside him and cradled her in his arms, his eyes burning with grief and remorse.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," he muttered desperately as he pressed down on her wound to stop the bleeding.
Mara just smiled weakly, using her intact hand to press down on the mangled cut on his forearm. They stayed locked together like this for several seconds; holding each other's wounds, holding each other's gaze, somehow reading each other's thoughts.
"Everything will be alright… I'm sure it… has to…" Mara speech was slurred as she battled to remain conscious.
Vader watched them both silently. If they could see his eyes, they would have seen a distant blue gaze, lost in memories of a distant past.
When Vader snapped back to reality, he took a decisive step towards Luke and Mara, leaning over the guardrail to get closer to them.
"If you both only knew the power of the dark side," Vader growled in frustration, bordering on desperation. "You would throw away your lives for the powerless and corrupt Jedi? You would follow Obi-Wan's useless and misguided sacrifice?"
"He's more powerful than you'll ever be," Luke shouted back. His thoughts were in a complete haze but he held on to the constant truth he had known his whole life about Obi-Wan. "He showed me my place in the galaxy, and he told me all I'll ever need to know about you… murderer!"
Luke spat out the final word with savage bitterness, bearing his teeth like a caged animal. Vader just observed him wordlessly, struggling to keep his mounting emotions repressed.
"If only you knew…" Vader whispered to himself. He paused for a long moment before speaking. "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father?"
"He told me enough," Luke's tone was heavy with suffering and unbridled emotions, but they no longer gave him power; he could not fight anymore. "He told me you killed him!"
...
…
…
"No. I am your father."
When Mara heard those words, a wave of fear and panic seized her entire body. She clutched tighter onto Luke's wound and looked at his face, but he did not look back. His eyes were lost; wavering aimlessly. His entire body began to convulse as he let out a guttural cry of pain, of anger, of grief, of betrayal…
"No… No! That's not true! That's impossible!"
Every word was laden with repressed rage, spoken through gritted teeth.
"Search your feelings! You know it to be true!"
Luke fell silent; his Force presence was an untethered mess. Mara tried to shake Luke out of his trance but it was no use; he was completely despondent. The crushing weight of this revelation had sapped all of his fighting spirit.
"Luke. You can destroy the Emperor, he has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son."
Vader held out his gloved hand, still stained with blood. Luke looked towards his… father's hand, up towards his masked face; the corner of his exposed lips were twisted downward in anguish but Luke did not register it. His gaze dropped towards the never-ending fall below; the luminescent tunnel that led straight to the planet bellow, several tens of thousands of kilometers down.
"Come with me… It is the only way."
Luke raised his head back up, his eyes suddenly filled with an inexplicable serenity and clarity. They shone bright like gemstones; like Obi-Wan's eyes, Mara recalled. When he turned towards her and their gazes met, she felt strangely entranced by those cerulean orbs, like things might truly end up alright in the end…
"I…" Mara interrupted Luke by placing a delicate finger on his lips; she smeared blood on his face when she did this but he did not seem to mind.
"Yes," was her simple reply to his unspoken question.
As one, they let go of the antennas and dropped over the side into the void below, never letting go of each other.
And that's done!
I don't even have the energy to write any more words... Just let me know if this held some sort of value to you or if this chapter was just a bunch of buildup for nothing. Don't worry, I can take it. I've been struggling to process whether or not this chapter is good or bad, so I leave it up to you to tell me what you think and in turn, I will base my self-worth on your feedback (sarcasm, for those who were wondering)
Anyways, I'll see you all real soon. Right now I'm just going to enjoy my vacation. I'm leaving for Italy in less than two weeks ;)
May the Force be with you. Always.